BLS-QRV services
Hi, I would like everyone’s opinion on EMTs staffing QRV units and arriving first ahead of an ambulance, whether for lower-acuity calls or even high-acuity calls.
I’m in a busy metro area with several hospitals in very close proximity to our base and also we do respond outside the metro area into the suburbs . I brought this up to a paramedic friend once and was told rather bluntly that EMTs shouldn’t—and probably never should—run QRVs on their own because “their medicine isn’t good enough.”
However, I’ve read articles showing that strong BLS care can sometimes be just as effective, or even more effective, than ALS in certain situations. That got me thinking: why not get good BLS care to the patient sooner and then have a BLS or ALS ambulance arrive later if needed?
What are everyone’s thoughts on this?